Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

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Warm spring water flows from the mouth of the marble lion, which is carved from marble. The stone slabs are sealed together with an adhesive made of limestone, so that not a drop of water can seep out.

The billowing heat filled the room with mist, and the humid, gentle heat felt unique against the skin, making one's consciousness become hazy.

Braziers blazed in every corner of the room, and small windows beside them ensured a good supply of oxygen, allowing the flames to burn brightly and illuminate every corner.

Tersolius let out a long breath, his entire body from the neck down immersed in the warm spring water, his bones relaxing completely.

He lifted his wet hair from his forehead; his overgrown hair had been trimmed and was now neat and tidy, no longer obstructing his view.

This was the first time he had the chance to properly wash himself in the bathroom since escaping death... Previously, for various reasons, unless his head was covered in blood, it was a luxury to clean his whole body properly.

His time and energy should have been allocated to where they were more needed at the time. He even compressed his sleep time to the extreme, spending every day surrounded by blood and dust.

Fortunately, the weather wasn't too hot, otherwise the bloodstains seeping into his armor and clothes would have rotted and stinked—just like those of bandits and robbers who raided the mountains and forests.

A smile suddenly appeared on his lips, and he leaned back, resting his back and the back of his head against the stone platform.

This is a city called Pontra. Once you pass through here, you won't be far from the capital of the empire. There is a famous active volcano here, but it has been more than 70 years since its last eruption and it is still relatively quiet.

Pontra was built on the side of a towering mountain, and thanks to its natural geothermal resources, its renowned warm springs attracted wealthy merchants and citizens from all over the empire.

For the people of the Empire, a city must have a large bathhouse—not only is it a place for citizens to clean themselves, but it is also an important social venue where countless pieces of information are exchanged, and people have long been accustomed to asking for news here.

The city's bathhouses must be built large enough to accommodate a large number of people. If possible, efforts can be made in decoration and reliefs to bring dignity and glory to the city's owners.

The spring water here naturally has a suitable temperature, which saves a lot of costs. All that is needed is a ceramic pipe to continuously bring this warm water into the bathhouse.

For this reason, the city's bathhouse was built to be exceptionally large and luxurious. Countless intricate carvings and massive stone pillars covered the circular building, and even the floor was outlined with bright patterns using metal wire. It was perfect in every aspect.

It's worth mentioning that when he entered the city with that enormous lion skin, the commotion he caused almost made him think a volcano was about to erupt...

He took no action, and the entire city's residents were already in a frenzy of celebration.

The city lord, who arrived at the scene, explained the situation to him, and also answered the question that had been nagging at him while he was hunting lions outside the city.

The lions only appeared in the vicinity two months ago, and at that time, most of the city's garrison was forcibly taken away by Consul Arios, leaving the remaining soldiers with great difficulty in maintaining order.

Moreover, this pride of lions had a clever leader who began attacking humans after only half a month... Sometimes they would even ignore herds of fat cattle and specifically target humans, whom they considered easy to hunt.

Often, by the time the city receives the news and sends troops to the scene, the lions have already finished their hunt and fled, leaving behind only the ruins of the attacked village and the howling crowd.

There were over a hundred lions in the pride. Without an army, no one would dare to go against them... Even if an experienced hunter managed to kill one or two lions by chance, it would be to no avail, as these damned beasts continued to launch attacks.

The sparse militia and garrison were already stretched thin just defending cities and towns, making it impossible for them to take the initiative to hunt down these pests.

No one knows where so many lions came from. Previously, there weren't many lions here, not even enough to threaten the village's livestock.

And it just so happened that it emerged when the local army was at its weakest... During that time, the city lord was overwhelmed with problems every day, and the attack reports from various villages piled up on his table.

This pride of lions was like a well-trained enemy army, attacking in completely random locations.

News of a lion attack came from an important livestock town on Monday, and a tragedy was expected to occur in another market far away on Wednesday, causing panic throughout the entire Pontra area.

After nightfall, people would nail their doors and windows shut with wooden planks and lead their important cattle, sheep, and livestock directly into their houses, hoping that the fearsome wild beasts would not visit their village.

Seeing that they couldn't catch any trace of the lions, and that only seven or eight lions had been hunted down because they couldn't escape in time, in order to prevent greater losses, the master of Pontra had no choice but to order his subordinate villages to stop all production activities and for everyone to be on high alert to guard against attacks from wild animals.

This method worked immediately; the lions' attacks failed several times, leaving behind more than a dozen carcasses.

But the pedestrians and caravans on those roads continued to be attacked, and the villages and towns that had ceased production and trade suffered enormous losses every day, while the aid requested by the Empire would not arrive for some time.

Just when everyone was in a state of panic, Tersolius and his legion arrived at the city entrance with more than eighty lion skins, which immediately ignited the tension among the people and dispelled their fear of lions.

He arrived here with a sense of accountability, only to find himself a hero who saved the city... He was almost caught off guard...

Unsurprisingly, they were all given the warmest hospitality, and every soldier was able to drink fine wine and enjoy hot bread and roast meat.

Thesolius and his brother were naturally invited to the most luxurious bathhouse and received the highest level of hospitality.

The other two people in the bath were the city lord and Natamus. As a servant handed them a tray, the white-bearded city lord raised his wine cup high in respect.

94 Variables (1)

Tersorius was always well aware of how difficult it was to keep a public place clean and hygienic, how much manpower and cost was involved, and how, without effective oversight and substantial investment, sanitation could deteriorate at an alarming rate.

Putting aside other things, if the water in a bathhouse is not changed after one or two hundred people have washed in it, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria and filth, continuously polluting those who come afterward.

In this situation, bathhouses will not only fail to benefit people's physical and mental health, but will also plunge the entire city's sanitation into a terrible state.

Not to mention the chaotic state of the bathhouse, where countless prostitutes and vendors made their living, and the garbage and corpses of dead babies piled up in the sewers, rotting and fermenting together with the killed cats and dogs...

In cases of mismanagement, these problems will only worsen, turning public bathhouses, which were originally meant to maintain personal hygiene, into breeding grounds for germs and epidemics.

He had seen many accounts of plagues in Rome and descriptions of the terrible conditions in bathhouses, so he was terrified of such places.

But the lord's private bathhouse was clearly not among them. Servants would thoroughly clean the pool every day, removing trash and limescale, and polishing the floor until it was smoother than a mirror.

The hot water in the bath was changed every few hours to ensure that distinguished guests received the best hospitality. In addition, various wines and fruits were soaked in the well water, making it a pleasure for everyone.

The city's public bathhouse is far better than those in other places. The ceramic pipes laid early on provide a continuous supply of warm spring water, making water changes very easy—even a frail old man can do it.

Moreover, the city lord here hires workers to thoroughly clean the sewers every two months, prohibits prostitutes and merchants from operating here, and the bathhouse is divided into baths for a dozen or so people each... so it's not nearly as bad as he thought.

That's why the pool water here is at least quite clear, making it safe for people to walk into.

The three of them chatted and laughed freely, only emerging from the water when their skin turned pale. During this process, an implicit agreement was naturally reached. The three exchanged knowing smiles, said their goodbyes, and then went their separate ways.

After scrubbing off almost a layer of his skin, Teresus felt his steps become much lighter. He dressed in the room outside the bath, his previously damp hair now almost dry. After tidying himself up a bit, he went out.

His legion was also granted permission to bathe. To prevent the spread of the plague, the entire bathhouse was thoroughly cleaned. The soldiers were divided into two groups: one half remained on duty, while the other half cleaned the baths, and they took turns cleaning them.

The Imperial soldiers in the army cheered with joy. They had been suffering from not being able to bathe for a long time, so they immediately rushed into the bathhouse.

But the slaves and the mountain people had never seen such a scene before... Dozens or even thousands of people washing their bodies in the same place amidst the sweltering heat, exposing themselves to each other completely naked... Although men and women were still separated, it was still an eye-opening experience.

Not everyone can accept this kind of culture, at least not in the short term. Tarina only took one look inside before being frightened by the women's white, fleshy bodies and ran away. Even though she was a girl, her cheeks still flushed, and she refused to go back in.

But the easygoing Colin didn't stand on ceremony at all and was eager to go in and see for himself. He even insisted on bringing Tarina in with him, which scared the girl so much that she waved her hands and refused. The two of them were arguing and pulling at each other at the entrance of the public bathhouse.

Just before the two of them were about to attract more attention, Thessalius emerged from the baths, captivated by the intriguing scene:

"Why don't you two go in and take a shower? You know, you won't have such a good opportunity again. Don't worry too much, this place has been cleaned thoroughly."

“That’s exactly what I was planning, sir…” The mountain girl grinned mischievously, tugging hard at Talina’s arm. “But our doctor doesn’t seem too keen on going, so I’m helping her overcome the difficulties!”

"It's alright, sir!" Talina's face flushed red, her cheeks puffed out from the effort. "I'll just wash up in my tent and won't go anywhere else..."

"Come with me, don't be shy! Let's broaden our horizons together, and maybe we'll see something interesting!"

"What exactly is this 'interesting thing' you're talking about?! I don't want to know at all!"

The two were still struggling and pulling at each other. Colin seemed very interested, but Tersolius still noticed that she was not very strong. The mountain girl, who had never seen such a place before, was obviously afraid to go in, so she wanted to pull someone she knew to go in with her to bolster her courage.

But while she dared not go in, she was also very curious, which is why she turned around and tormented Tarina.

"If you two are too scared to go in, you can find a separate small bathroom."

………………

The air suddenly became quiet, and the two people froze like statues.

"Is there a separate bathroom?"

"Of course there are. Nobles never share a pool with commoners; they all have their own private baths."

"........."

"The water should have been changed by now. If you go now, you'll be able to catch it in time."

"OK…………"

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The warm spring water, steaming, can penetrate one's bones and lungs, completely eliminating physical fatigue and giving one a feeling of relaxation as if floating on clouds.

Tarina poked her head above the water, her neck and below completely submerged in the hot water. Her pale blue hair spread out in the water, floating like seaweed.

Taking a bath in a public bath for the first time is a very novel experience, but once you get used to it, you can appreciate its benefits.

As my body relaxed, even my mood improved, a blush appeared on my cheeks, and I felt like I was floating.

Colin, who was shorter than her, squatted down next to her, curled up in a ball floating on the water with his eyes tightly closed, as if he were drowning.

Tarina was initially concerned, but now she was used to it. The mountain girl was an unexpectedly good swimmer, and besides, even if someone was a terrible swimmer, it was impossible for them to drown in waist-deep water; only a fool would do that.

"You are truly a beauty, sir."

"!! Cough cough cough! Cough!"

Tarina slipped, causing her head to go underwater, and in her panic, she choked on a mouthful of water...

"What are you talking about...?"

Tarina blushed and stammered, quite startled by her companion's earth-shattering words.

Didn't you notice?

"What did you notice?..."

Colin wore a strange smile.

"The man looked like he had just taken a bath and was much kinder than usual. I just realized that he is actually quite good-looking! I usually don't dare to look at his face for too long."

Talina silently rolled her eyes and lay back down—she had already carefully examined the wound while stitching it up for Tersolius, and knew much earlier than he did!

A strange sense of pride suddenly welled up in Tarina's heart, causing the corners of her eyes to curve downwards, making her eyebrows and eyes even more gentle.

The mountain girl was a little confused, wondering why the other person suddenly stopped responding to her. So, feeling bored, she buried her head in the water again and started blowing bubbles.

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Tersolius looked at the thing in front of him with a hint of surprise—the huge white lion skin had been processed by a skilled leatherworker and was now soft and dry.

Luxurious black silk was sewn onto the inside of the leather. The enormous pelt was divided into several sections, one of which was made into a magnificent cape. The lion's mane was trimmed and used to decorate the collar and sides.

The head and tail, completely ripped off, hung down on either side of his shoulders, like a lion lying on his shoulders with its eyes closed, ready to leap up and devour its prey at any moment.

The cloak was presented to him as a gift, crafted by the city's finest leatherworkers and tailors, who embroidered the following words in gold thread on the inside:

Dedicated to General Thesolius, the slayer of the white lions, the savior of Pontra, the one who ended the chaos of the lions, may he be invincible, unstoppable, and may all his enemies be destroyed like lions!

Thesolius smiled and extended both hands to accept the gift, taking it with great solemnity. The city's inhabitants erupted in a deafening roar of cheers, shaking the very rooftops.

Amid cheers from the city's inhabitants, the army broke camp and set off again, while Tersolius draped the white lion's cloak over his armor and left the city amidst a dazzling flash.

………………

The lion's skin cloak was very stylish, but the temperature was not suitable for wearing it, so after leaving the city, Teresolus took it off and put it in his saddlebag.

The other half of the hide was also made into all sorts of things. This lion was so huge that the fur, as big as a bull's hide, would keep the best tailors busy for several days.

He gave a crossbody bag to Talina, a pair of fur boots to Colin, and two smaller cloaks to Natamus and Alka.

Even so, there were still a few items left... but he couldn't rashly distribute them to others, otherwise it would inevitably bring him some trouble.

After all, the saying "It's not scarcity that's worrisome, but inequality" has been proven true throughout history... Given the current shortage, it's better to send them out when there's a more suitable opportunity later.

Many of the other cavalrymen and mountain people also made cloaks from the lion skins they obtained. Even though the weather was already quite hot, some people still wore them and marched proudly in the ranks.

They left behind the envious and jealous glances of others; the fur left by the dangerous beasts on their bodies had now turned golden, displaying the preciousness of their glory.

Next, their destination will be the capital of the empire, the obsidian city standing atop Eagle Peak—Loristia!

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"That's what that guy Arius did, teacher."

Rostoia bowed his head respectfully. The man he called his teacher was an old man with thick hair and beard, but his hair and beard were completely white.

"Just as you expected, Rostoia..."

The old man sighed slightly. His expression wasn't exactly surprised, but it carried a hint of helplessness. Deep wrinkles formed between his brows, and his sharp eyes gleamed beneath his thick eyebrows.

"That's nothing, teacher. It's just that this guy is stupid enough, which makes his actions more predictable. With just a little provocation, he'll charge straight ahead like a stupid pig until he crashes and bleeds."

Even when praised by his teacher, the man's face remained calm and indifferent, as if he had done something very easy and therefore not worth being happy about.

"He's lost his mind now, completely controlled by hatred, and he's bound to make foolish decisions. All we need to do now is wait; he'll draw all the attention and hatred to himself... and then..."

"Alright, let's stop here, Rostoia... I've entrusted this matter to you, just do it... There's no need to tell me everything."

"Thank you for your trust. I will definitely live up to your expectations!"

A look of joy finally appeared on the man's face, as if he had received tremendous affirmation; even his fingers were trembling slightly.